Last week at CES 2024, “AI PCs” were a hot topic, with companies like Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm showcasing their hardware’s AI capabilities. Microsoft has declared this as the “year of AI-powered Windows PCs.”
However, despite the hype, the reality is that these ”AI PCs” currently available in the market may not live up to the expectations. While they may offer potential for future cool features, they are not transformative yet.
If you are enthusiastic about generative AI (genAI), you might want to consider alternative hardware options instead of jumping on the AI-accelerating chips bandwagon. You might already own hardware that can serve your needs.
Stay updated on Windows and your PC’s future with my free Windows Intelligence newsletter, delivering the best tips and tricks, along with essential news, straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll receive free copies of Paul Thurrott’s Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (a $10 value) upon subscribing!
Most current genAI tools, such as Copilot, ChatGPT, and Adobe Firefly, do not process data on your computer but rely on powerful data center computers. While there are open-source tools available for local processing, they require a PC with strong processing power and a fast GPU.
While the dream is to have mainstream PCs capable of running genAI models locally, we are moving towards a “hybrid” future, where complex tasks are handled by data centers, and simpler tasks are performed on your computer.
Even on an “AI PC,” tools like Copilot work the same way as on other PCs, with the processing happening in Microsoft’s data centers.
The discussion around AI PCs has been fueled by the promise of neural processing units (NPUs).
2024-01-19 02:41:02
Article from www.computerworld.com